Wines of France / Southwest / Cahors / Château la Coustarelle
Château La Coustarelle - Cahors
Prayssac, Lot
Château la Coustarelle is located in the village of Prayssac, next to the renowned Clos de Gamot and on the lieu dit of Les Caris. The domaine's origins date back to 1870 when Paul Cassot settled in the area as a farmer. The family’s 3rd generation, Pierre Cassot, took over in 1947, when the château was renamed “Coustarelle”, or little slope, after the first parcel of vines planted on the lieu dit. In 1980, Pierre’s son Michel Cassot and his wife Nadine took over. They decided in 1992 to produce and bottle their own wines (separate from the local co-op), and by the end of the 90’s their hard work had paid off, with Château la Coustarelle being regarded as one of the highest quality Cahors domaines. 
Since 2002 and through today, Michel's daughter Caroline (representing the 5th generation of the Cassot family) has been responsible for all the domaine’s vineyard management and winemaking, having learned much from her father, who is still there for her whenever she needs wise counsel. Over the years the family has grown the estate from the original 3.5-hectare lieu dit of Coustarelle to their 53 hectares of on average 30-year-old vines planted on gentle slopes. These slopes (south-oriented) provide excellent drainage, and about 2/3 of the domaine’s vines sit up on the higher terraces with clay/gravel/sand soils. The rest of the parcels are planted on clay-limestone soils. Here the Cassot family has mainly Malbec (or Cot, emblematic grape of Cahors centuries before it was identified with Argentina or anywhere else), as well as Merlot and about 3 hectares of Tannat. Caroline also had the idea to plant some white grapes and make wine under the appellation IGP Côtes du Lot, and this white wine has since been embraced by local wine lovers.
Michel Cassot
The family practices lutte raisonée in the vineyards, planting grass every third row of vines to stimulate biodiversity. Canopy management and green harvest are performed if absolutely necessary. Yields run between 45-50 hl/ha. Grapes are destemmed and fermented in stainless steel tanks, then the wines are aged in these same stainless steel tanks. Some of the wines will then go into demi-muids to complete their aging, while others will spend their time in 4th-use oak barrels. Some of the wines are bottled unfined and unfiltered, others only lightly filtered.
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Château Coustarelle Cahors “Cuvée Tradition”
This wine, the domaine’s classic, is 80% Malbec and 20% Merlot. Grapes are destemmed and fermented in stainless steel tanks, then the wine is aged in these same stainless steel tanks. It then spends 18 months in demi-muid barrels and is very lightly filtered before being bottled. Deep ruby-colored. Powerful, forthcoming and concentrated nose, with good depth of blackberry-scented fruit along with anise. Light tannins are well integrated in the wine's medium-to-full bodied texture. 
Château Coustarelle Cahors “Grande Cuvée Prestige”
90% old-vine Malbec blended with 10% Tannat. Grapes are destemmed and fermented for 3-4 weeks in stainless steel tanks, then the wine is aged for 12 months in these same stainless steel tanks. It is then transferred to oak barrels, a fifth of which are new each year, where it spends 12 additional months. Deep purple. Lots of vanilla on the nose buttresses substantial dark fruit. Medium-to-full body. Plenty of ripe blackberry fruit on the palate, along with a hint of licorice. Fine tannin is extremely well integrated on the finish. 
Caroline Cassot
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